Windows XP frozen and safe mode freezes also-have unsaved files! H

Hello! I have Windows XP 2005 Media version and I use AVG for virus
protection. My computer is approx 18 months old and under warranty but I am
not getting any help over the phone and that is all they are offering at this
point.

I have files saved on my computer that I had not backed up and do need to
recover if I at all can. I have a flash drive ready to do that! Trust me
when I say I have learned my lesson and I don't plan to save anything
directly on my computer. I will use CDs and Flash Drives to maintain my
files for when I need them.

My computer was working fine until approx 1 week ago. When I turned
on my computer, it froze (locked) up. I was able at one point during the day
to get the computer to let me open up in safe mode. I performed Check Disk
and it told me that the volume in C was dirty. It proceeded on to check the
rest of the disk. However, when it completes and goes to the log in page and
I clik on my icon, the system freezes up. Now I cannot even open up in safe
mode as it freezes (locks) up in safe mode as well. Today,I called Dell as
my computer is still under warranty, and was told she could help me to do a
system retore and I would lose all of my files, etc. She advised that first
I contact a local repair person to get them to help me to back up my files
and then call her back to complete the system restore. I couln't get any
other info or help and ended the phone call more confused and stressed. I
have many files that I have not backed up on any other source and I know I
should have done so all along.

I have been able to do the F12 and all the tests pass. If I do F8 and go to
prev safe configuration it will bring up the sign in page, but freezes up
when I click on the icon and try to input my password.

What is causing this? Is my drive corrupted? How can I fix this without
losing all my files? I need my computer desparately and need your help even
more.
I opened the computer and cleaned it out. It still freezes up. I am at a
loss and desperately need help!

I am not very computer illiterate when it comes to the this type of technical
part of a computer. I follow directions well and am eager for some help to
get my computer fixed soon!

I hope I have given enough info for someone to be able to help me fix my
computer if at all possible!


MsGiraffe
Louisville, KY

"[Dell technical support] advised that first I contact a local repair
person to get them to help me to back up my files and then call her back
to complete the system restore."

That's excellent advice and you should follow it.

---
Leonard Grey
Errare humanum est

MsGiraffe wrote:
> Hello! I have Windows XP 2005 Media version and I use AVG for virus
> protection. My computer is approx 18 months old and under warranty but I am
> not getting any help over the phone and that is all they are offering at this
> point.
>
> I have files saved on my computer that I had not backed up and do need to
> recover if I at all can. I have a flash drive ready to do that! Trust me
> when I say I have learned my lesson and I don't plan to save anything
> directly on my computer. I will use CDs and Flash Drives to maintain my
> files for when I need them.
>
> My computer was working fine until approx 1 week ago. When I turned
> on my computer, it froze (locked) up. I was able at one point during the day
> to get the computer to let me open up in safe mode. I performed Check Disk
> and it told me that the volume in C was dirty. It proceeded on to check the
> rest of the disk. However, when it completes and goes to the log in page and
> I clik on my icon, the system freezes up. Now I cannot even open up in safe
> mode as it freezes (locks) up in safe mode as well. Today,I called Dell as
> my computer is still under warranty, and was told she could help me to do a
> system retore and I would lose all of my files, etc. She advised that first
> I contact a local repair person to get them to help me to back up my files
> and then call her back to complete the system restore. I couln't get any
> other info or help and ended the phone call more confused and stressed. I
> have many files that I have not backed up on any other source and I know I
> should have done so all along.
>
> I have been able to do the F12 and all the tests pass. If I do F8 and go to
> prev safe configuration it will bring up the sign in page, but freezes up
> when I click on the icon and try to input my password.
>
> What is causing this? Is my drive corrupted? How can I fix this without
> losing all my files? I need my computer desparately and need your help even
> more.
> I opened the computer and cleaned it out. It still freezes up. I am at a
> loss and desperately need help!
>
> I am not very computer illiterate when it comes to the this type of technical
> part of a computer. I follow directions well and am eager for some help to
> get my computer fixed soon!
>
> I hope I have given enough info for someone to be able to help me fix my
> computer if at all possible!
>
>
> MsGiraffe
> Louisville, KY
>

Leonard,

Is there a way to back up the files myself or am I better to leave it to a
professional? What am I looking at in costs for the backup of my files?

Any ideas of what could be wrong on my computer? Is this a common problem
right now? When I do get my computer back, please give me some suggestions
to avoid this enormous porblem in the future? I am open to any suggestions
or reccomendations.

Thanks!

"Leonard Grey" wrote:

> "[Dell technical support] advised that first I contact a local repair
> person to get them to help me to back up my files and then call her back
> to complete the system restore."
>
> That's excellent advice and you should follow it.
>
> ---
> Leonard Grey
> Errare humanum est
>
> MsGiraffe wrote:
> > Hello! I have Windows XP 2005 Media version and I use AVG for virus
> > protection. My computer is approx 18 months old and under warranty but I am
> > not getting any help over the phone and that is all they are offering at this
> > point.
> >
> > I have files saved on my computer that I had not backed up and do need to
> > recover if I at all can. I have a flash drive ready to do that! Trust me
> > when I say I have learned my lesson and I don't plan to save anything
> > directly on my computer. I will use CDs and Flash Drives to maintain my
> > files for when I need them.
> >
> > My computer was working fine until approx 1 week ago. When I turned
> > on my computer, it froze (locked) up. I was able at one point during the day
> > to get the computer to let me open up in safe mode. I performed Check Disk
> > and it told me that the volume in C was dirty. It proceeded on to check the
> > rest of the disk. However, when it completes and goes to the log in page and
> > I clik on my icon, the system freezes up. Now I cannot even open up in safe
> > mode as it freezes (locks) up in safe mode as well. Today,I called Dell as
> > my computer is still under warranty, and was told she could help me to do a
> > system retore and I would lose all of my files, etc. She advised that first
> > I contact a local repair person to get them to help me to back up my files
> > and then call her back to complete the system restore. I couln't get any
> > other info or help and ended the phone call more confused and stressed. I
> > have many files that I have not backed up on any other source and I know I
> > should have done so all along.
> >
> > I have been able to do the F12 and all the tests pass. If I do F8 and go to
> > prev safe configuration it will bring up the sign in page, but freezes up
> > when I click on the icon and try to input my password.
> >
> > What is causing this? Is my drive corrupted? How can I fix this without
> > losing all my files? I need my computer desparately and need your help even
> > more.
> > I opened the computer and cleaned it out. It still freezes up. I am at a
> > loss and desperately need help!
> >
> > I am not very computer illiterate when it comes to the this type of technical
> > part of a computer. I follow directions well and am eager for some help to
> > get my computer fixed soon!
> >
> > I hope I have given enough info for someone to be able to help me fix my
> > computer if at all possible!
> >
> >
> > MsGiraffe
> > Louisville, KY
> >
>

You would likely need to remove the drive, connect as slave or via enclosure
to another system and hopefully copy all data from it

Suggestions; Purchase an extrenal drive and backup data to that. I use
Acronis True Image.
If the data is important, from a business sense, then you would backup to at
least two different sources

"MsGiraffe" <MsGiraffe@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:6409E5F3-93CC-4D39-BBD3-CC53D9AAA624@microsoft.com...
> Leonard,
>
> Is there a way to back up the files myself or am I better to leave it to a
> professional? What am I looking at in costs for the backup of my files?
>
> Any ideas of what could be wrong on my computer? Is this a common problem
> right now? When I do get my computer back, please give me some
> suggestions
> to avoid this enormous porblem in the future? I am open to any
> suggestions
> or reccomendations.
>
> Thanks!
>
> "Leonard Grey" wrote:
>
>> "[Dell technical support] advised that first I contact a local repair
>> person to get them to help me to back up my files and then call her back
>> to complete the system restore."
>>
>> That's excellent advice and you should follow it.
>>
>> ---
>> Leonard Grey
>> Errare humanum est
>>
>> MsGiraffe wrote:
>> > Hello! I have Windows XP 2005 Media version and I use AVG for virus
>> > protection. My computer is approx 18 months old and under warranty but
>> > I am
>> > not getting any help over the phone and that is all they are offering
>> > at this
>> > point.
>> >
>> > I have files saved on my computer that I had not backed up and do need
>> > to
>> > recover if I at all can. I have a flash drive ready to do that! Trust
>> > me
>> > when I say I have learned my lesson and I don't plan to save anything
>> > directly on my computer. I will use CDs and Flash Drives to maintain
>> > my
>> > files for when I need them.
>> >
>> > My computer was working fine until approx 1 week ago. When I turned
>> > on my computer, it froze (locked) up. I was able at one point during
>> > the day
>> > to get the computer to let me open up in safe mode. I performed Check
>> > Disk
>> > and it told me that the volume in C was dirty. It proceeded on to
>> > check the
>> > rest of the disk. However, when it completes and goes to the log in
>> > page and
>> > I clik on my icon, the system freezes up. Now I cannot even open up in
>> > safe
>> > mode as it freezes (locks) up in safe mode as well. Today,I called
>> > Dell as
>> > my computer is still under warranty, and was told she could help me to
>> > do a
>> > system retore and I would lose all of my files, etc. She advised that
>> > first
>> > I contact a local repair person to get them to help me to back up my
>> > files
>> > and then call her back to complete the system restore. I couln't get
>> > any
>> > other info or help and ended the phone call more confused and stressed.
>> > I
>> > have many files that I have not backed up on any other source and I
>> > know I
>> > should have done so all along.
>> >
>> > I have been able to do the F12 and all the tests pass. If I do F8 and
>> > go to
>> > prev safe configuration it will bring up the sign in page, but freezes
>> > up
>> > when I click on the icon and try to input my password.
>> >
>> > What is causing this? Is my drive corrupted? How can I fix this
>> > without
>> > losing all my files? I need my computer desparately and need your help
>> > even
>> > more.
>> > I opened the computer and cleaned it out. It still freezes up. I am
>> > at a
>> > loss and desperately need help!
>> >
>> > I am not very computer illiterate when it comes to the this type of
>> > technical
>> > part of a computer. I follow directions well and am eager for some
>> > help to
>> > get my computer fixed soon!
>> >
>> > I hope I have given enough info for someone to be able to help me fix
>> > my
>> > computer if at all possible!
>> >
>> >
>> > MsGiraffe
>> > Louisville, KY
>> >
>>

Is there a way to backup your files on your own? Sure, there are several
ways /if/ you are technically proficient. If you're not that technical,
and considering how critical your data is to you, paying a professional
to do it will be some of the best money you've spent.

For example, you can remove your hard disk and put it into another
computer or a hard disk enclosure attached to another computer, and then
use the good computer to backup the files on your hard disk in any of
several formats.

I have no idea what this would cost. Check around in your area.

There's no way from here to know what caused your computer to freeze.
The technician may be able to tell you, since she or he will have
physical access to your computer and can examine things that we cannot.

There's no way you can avoid trouble with something as complicated as a
computer. But you can 1) backup regularly so you don't risk losing
everything if you get into trouble again, and 2) prepare as much as you
can before doing anything on your computer.
---
Leonard Grey
Errare humanum est

MsGiraffe wrote:
> Leonard,
>
> Is there a way to back up the files myself or am I better to leave it to a
> professional? What am I looking at in costs for the backup of my files?
>
> Any ideas of what could be wrong on my computer? Is this a common problem
> right now? When I do get my computer back, please give me some suggestions
> to avoid this enormous porblem in the future? I am open to any suggestions
> or reccomendations.
>
> Thanks!
>
> "Leonard Grey" wrote:
>
>> "[Dell technical support] advised that first I contact a local repair
>> person to get them to help me to back up my files and then call her back
>> to complete the system restore."
>>
>> That's excellent advice and you should follow it.
>>
>> ---
>> Leonard Grey
>> Errare humanum est
>>
>> MsGiraffe wrote:
>>> Hello! I have Windows XP 2005 Media version and I use AVG for virus
>>> protection. My computer is approx 18 months old and under warranty but I am
>>> not getting any help over the phone and that is all they are offering at this
>>> point.
>>>
>>> I have files saved on my computer that I had not backed up and do need to
>>> recover if I at all can. I have a flash drive ready to do that! Trust me
>>> when I say I have learned my lesson and I don't plan to save anything
>>> directly on my computer. I will use CDs and Flash Drives to maintain my
>>> files for when I need them.
>>>
>>> My computer was working fine until approx 1 week ago. When I turned
>>> on my computer, it froze (locked) up. I was able at one point during the day
>>> to get the computer to let me open up in safe mode. I performed Check Disk
>>> and it told me that the volume in C was dirty. It proceeded on to check the
>>> rest of the disk. However, when it completes and goes to the log in page and
>>> I clik on my icon, the system freezes up. Now I cannot even open up in safe
>>> mode as it freezes (locks) up in safe mode as well. Today,I called Dell as
>>> my computer is still under warranty, and was told she could help me to do a
>>> system retore and I would lose all of my files, etc. She advised that first
>>> I contact a local repair person to get them to help me to back up my files
>>> and then call her back to complete the system restore. I couln't get any
>>> other info or help and ended the phone call more confused and stressed. I
>>> have many files that I have not backed up on any other source and I know I
>>> should have done so all along.
>>>
>>> I have been able to do the F12 and all the tests pass. If I do F8 and go to
>>> prev safe configuration it will bring up the sign in page, but freezes up
>>> when I click on the icon and try to input my password.
>>>
>>> What is causing this? Is my drive corrupted? How can I fix this without
>>> losing all my files? I need my computer desparately and need your help even
>>> more.
>>> I opened the computer and cleaned it out. It still freezes up. I am at a
>>> loss and desperately need help!
>>>
>>> I am not very computer illiterate when it comes to the this type of technical
>>> part of a computer. I follow directions well and am eager for some help to
>>> get my computer fixed soon!
>>>
>>> I hope I have given enough info for someone to be able to help me fix my
>>> computer if at all possible!
>>>
>>>
>>> MsGiraffe
>>> Louisville, KY
>>>